Hose-carrying strap



(No ModeM H. M CAMP HOSE CARRYING NO- 402 90o Patented May 7 1889 ist:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM M. CAMPBELL, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

HOSE-CARRYING STRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,900, dated May 7, 1889.

Application iled September 14, 1888. Serial No. 285,405. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, HIRAM M. CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hose-Carrying Straps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in hose-carrying straps for iremens use, and has for its obj ect to provide a device of this description by means of which a line of hose may be grasped and carried in climbing upon ladders or buildings, which shall be so arranged as to leave both hands free for grasping or lifting, and which shall be adapted for temporary attachment to any fixed object, as a ladder-rung, the attachinghook being adjustable within certain limits for the more ready retention of the hose at any fixed point; and with these ends in view my invention consists in the details 0f construction and combination of elements hereinafter to be set forth, and then recited in the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may more fully understand how to make and use my improvement, I will describe the same in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which-` Figure l is a perspective showing a line of hose supported and upheld upon a ladder by means of my device, and Fig. 2 a detail section showing the adjustable hook and the means whereby the same is caused to bind upon the strap.

Like numerals denote the same parts in both the figures.

l 2 are loops formed in a strap, whose sides are united at 8 to form said loops, either by stitching, as seen at Fig. 1, or by a rivet or stud, as shown at Fig. 2. The loops are prefferably unequal in size, the upper sufficiently large to admit of its being slung over the shoulder.

3 is a pair of pivoted grapple-tongs having at their handle ends eyes 9, through which the loop 2 passes.

4 is a casing surrounding the strap of the larger loop and free to slide thereon. Between a pair of projections or ears upon this casing is pivoted a hook, 5, whose rear end, 6, is serrated and adapted by the leverage of the hook to bind the strap lirmly against the rear wall of the casing.

7 is a snap secured upon the upper loop, near the lower end thereof. This snap is adapted to be caught about a safety-line, so that in dense smoke the fireman may be able to retrace his steps to his point of entrance. It may also be used for carrying life-lines to any point upon the building.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The grapple-ton gs, havingbeen opened and the hose introduced between their jaws, are closed and retained shut by the lift upon the strap. The large upper loop encircles the shoulder of the fireman, and he is thereby enabled to mount a ladder, drawing the hose after him, but without the necessity of employing his hands for any purpose but that of safety to himself. By means of the hook he may stop at any point and transfer the weight of the hose t0 some fixed object, as a ladder-round. The adjustability of the hook, which with its casing-'is free to slide upon the strap when bearing no weight, but which grasps said strap firmly when supporting the hose, enables the fireman to overcome slight variations in the height of the object over which he desires to place the hook and still hold the hose at a iixed point. The small snap, in addition to its function of carrying a life or safety line, may be hooked into a ring upon the belt, and thereby permit the fireman to support himself upon the ladder to which the hose is secured without need of holding on. He may thus use both hands for playing hose, breaking in windows, or assisting the inmates of the building to escape.

While I prefer the leathern strap, as shown, my device can, if desired, be made from rope or canvas.

I am aware that straps by means of which hose can be grasped, carried, and supported are not broadly new, and I do not wish to be understood as laying claim thereto.

IOO

That I do claim as new is l. In a hose carrying or supporting device, the combination, With the strap having` the upper shoulder-loop and the lower an d smaller loop, of the grapple-tongs, Whose handles are secured about and are adapted to be operated by said loop, substantially as set forth.

2. In a hose carrying or supporting device, the combination, with the double-looped strap and the grapple-tongs secured thereon and operated thereby, of the hook secured about and rwertically adjustable upon the should erloop, substantially as specified.

3. In aliireinans hose-carrying strap, the combination, with the grapple, oi' the shoulderloop and the adjustably-securable hook arranged about the strap comprising said shoulder-loop, as described.

at. The combination, with the grapple, the loop for operating` it, and the shoulderdoop, of

the casing arranged about the strap comprising said shoulder-loop, and movable thereon, and the hook pivoted to the casing,l and provided with a clainping-extension for the binding of the strap against the casing, substantially as set forth.

5. A ireinans hose-carrying' strap con1- prising` the following: the grapple-tongs and the loop whereby they are held and operated, the shoulderloop, the adjustable clampinghook arranged upon the shoulder-loop, and the snap secured at or near the lower end of said shoulderdoop, all arranged as described, and for the purpose specified.

ln testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

IHRAM. M. CAMPBELL. lVitnesses:

1l I. IIUBBARD, Il. T. Sunni/PON, Jr. 

